Breaking The Soil

We are challenged by recent statistics showing that just 40% of parents feel that passing on faith to their children is extremely or very important. Apparently, most Australians don’t place a high significance on sharing faith with the next generation. Barna Research calls these ‘spiritually dormant households’. The Old Testament prophets Hosea and Jeremiah challenged the people of Judah and Israel that their nations had become dormant and unkept fields covered in weeds of wickedness, needing to be ploughed so they could once again produce a harvest of righteousness. How spiritually dormant is your household? Let’s look at what it means to plough the soil of our lives.

Read Hosea 10:11-14

Discuss

1. Ploughing is done to remove weeds. Weeds are things that grow when intentionality is lacking. How do you control weeds in your garden? Read Hosea 10:13 and Galatians 5:19-21. What are some weeds that can grow in our lives?
2. Ploughing uproots what is currently living in a dormant field. Read Hosea 10:12 and 1 John 1:8-10. How do we plough the field of our lives? Read James 5:16. How do we keep ourselves accountable to each other, so we don’t become dormant fields?
3. Ploughing is done to make space. Ploughing means doing our part in preparation for God to cultivate our lives. Read Hebrews 12:1-2. How can we ready our lives for the things God wants to do in us and through us?
4. Read Matthew 6:9-11. Jesus encourages his disciples to pray for God’s kingdom and vision to be done here on earth as it is done in heaven. What dream are you cultivating in your life and your home? How is this aligned with God’s kingdom and vision?
5. Ploughing is for the harvest. We plough for the purpose of a harvest. Read John 4:34-36. Jesus tells his disciples that “the fields are ripe for harvest”. What harvest do you see around you in your life? How can we be intentional in spiritually ploughing and reaping a harvest? Think of the principle of Crossway’s ‘Building a Discipling Culture’.
6. Read Luke 9:61-62. Jesus challenges His disciples to focus forward on the coming of the Kingdom of God and not look back. In fifty years from now, how would you like others to remember you in terms of bringing in the harvest?

Respond

“What’s the chief end of humanity? To glorify God and enjoy him forever.” – The Westminster Catechism We were challenged to foster a kingdom of God mentality, not just in us and our families, but in our city, nation and the nations. Share with the group the steps you can take that will help fire up your household of faith. Do you have a Kingdom vision for what God could do in and through you? As a group, pray the Lord’s Prayer as a response to ploughing the field and breaking the soil:

• ‘Our Father in heaven,
  hallowed be your name,your kingdom come,your will be done,
  on earth as it is in heaven.
  Give us today our daily bread.
  And forgive us our debts,
  as we also have forgiven our debtors.
  And lead us not into temptation,
  but deliver us from the evil one.’
  For yours is the kingdom,The power, and the glory,
  Forever and ever.
  Amen.

   

Breaking The Soil

The Parable of the Sower is a powerful reminder of our role in sharing God’s Word. Pastor Mark teaches that ‘the Sower’ represents anyone who spreads the Gospel, ‘the seed’ is the Word of God, and the different soils are the hearts of those who hear. Jesus teaches us that our responsibility is to sow, not to judge the soil or force growth. The results belong to God. As we explore this parable, let’s reflect on our faithfulness in sowing God’s Word and the different ways this challenges and encourages us.

Read Mark 4:1-20

Discuss

• 1. The Gospel is for everyone. How does knowing that the seed is to be scattered regardless of the condition of the soil challenge our approach to sharing the Word?
  2. What do the different types of soil represent? Why do you think Jesus focused more on the reasons for failure than on the success of the harvest?
  3. In what areas or platforms of your life—home, work, school, recreation—are you called to sow God’s Word? How can you be more intentional about sharing, even when it feels like no one is listening?
  4. How can we maintain hope and keep praying for those who seem unresponsive or hardened? What does it mean to be a faithful worker rather than a successful one?
  5. Jesus’ parable is also a warning to seasoned believers to check the soil of our own hearts. How can even long-time Christians become like the unproductive soils?
  6. What practical steps can we take to ensure our hearts remain fertile and receptive to God’s Word? How can we continue to grow in our own faith while encouraging others?

Respond

As you reflect on this parable, consider the condition of your own heart. Are there areas where you need to become more receptive to God’s Word? Ask God to soften hard places, remove distractions, and deepen your roots in Him. This week, seek opportunities to sow His Word at home, work, or in daily activities. Remember, your role is to sow; God makes things grow. Who has God placed on your heart, and how can you take a small, faithful step to sow into their life this week?

Breaking The Soil – Cost of the status quo

Risk makes many people uncomfortable, but as followers of Christ, how should we approach it? Jesus’ Parable of the Talents is a story about servants who are entrusted with their master’s wealth. Two of them take risks by investing the money and are rewarded, while another buries the talent out of fear and faces punishment. This parable challenges us to think about how we handle the resources, opportunities, and time that God has entrusted to us. Our fruitfulness is in God’s hands; our faithfulness is our responsibility. Success in God’s eyes is not measured by worldly achievements but by obedience. Jesus wants us to share in His joy through faithful stewardship of what we’ve been given.

Read Matthew 25:14-30

Discuss

1. What does ‘risk’ mean to you? How do you usually respond to risky situations?
2. In the Parable of the Talents, why do you think the third servant was afraid to take a risk with his talent?
3. What does it mean to be faithful with what God has entrusted to you? Can you think of a time when you struggled with this?
4. Why do you think Jesus connects faithfulness with joy in Matthew 25:21? How can being faithful bring joy into our lives?
5. How does faith in Jesus require us to take risks? Because of your obedience to Jesus, have you ever had to venture outside of your comfort zone? Share.
6. How can we trust God more when it comes to taking healthy risks? In what areas of your life is God calling you to take a step of obedience right now? What is holding you back from saying ‘yes’ to Him?

Respond

Taking risks for God’s Kingdom is part of our journey of faith, and there is joy in trusting Him, even in the unknown. Choose one area of your life where God is calling you to take a step of faith. Whether big or small, one act of obedience can lead to deeper faith and greater joy in Christ.